Editor's note: Since its debut, the OnePlus 10 Pro has been surpassed by new OnePlus models. We've checked the below to ensure accuracy and relevance, though pricing and availability will differ from when we first reviewed this device.
The OnePlus 10 Pro goes toe-to-toe with flagship Android handsets from Google, Samsung, and Motorola. With its beefy processor, excellent camera, and slick software, the 10 Pro 5G brings a lot to the table without costing a fortune.
Whether for everyday use, photography, or gaming, the OnePlus 10 Pro 5G's price-to-performance ratio is tough to beat, which makes it a solid handset for everyday use. Learn if the 10 Pro is the right phone for you in our hands-on review.
OnePlus 10 Pro 5G Review: The Verdict
The OnePlus 10 Pro 5G provides a fantastic camera co-developed with Hasselblad, a cutting-edge Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processing chip, and long battery life. Coupled with a snappy OxygenOS 12 Android software experience, the 10 Pro 5G is a good choice for a daily driver.
What we love
- Great camera
- Powerful processor
- Generous battery capacity and fast charging
What could be improved
- Limited software updates
- Average telephoto lens
The essentials
- Performance: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1
- Battery: 5000mAh (up to 11 hours at 120Hz, 12 hours at 60Hz)
- Screen: 6.7-inch 3216 x 1440 AMOLED (1-120Hz)
- Camera: 48MP (f/1.8) main, 50MP (f/2.2) ultrawide, 8MP (f/2.4) 3.3x telephoto
90/100
Why We Recommend
The OnePlus 10 Pro 5G
With a stellar all-around feature set and a price tag undercutting its rival flagship phones, the OnePlus 10 Pro 5G is an outstanding alternative to mainstream picks from the likes of Samsung and Google. Let's look at our favourite components, including its high-quality camera and powerful processor.
What we like: Exceptional camera
OnePlus partnered with Hasselblad for the 10 Pro 5G's camera, and it’s a collaboration that paid off. When comparing similar shots on my Google Pixel 6 Pro, I typically preferred the Pixel but only slightly. In my testing, the Pixel 6 Pro boasted better colour accuracy, increased sharpness, and improved focus. Still, differences are subtle.
The Pixel 6 Pro and OnePlus 10 Pro excelled in portrait mode. In low-light scenarios with its Nightscape mode, the 10 Pro offers good brightness and sharpness. Overall, the Hasselblad-tuned camera isn't just a gimmick, as the OnePlus holds its own amongst its premium phone brethren.
What we like: Superb performance
At its core, the OnePlus 10 Pro 5G packs a powerful Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip as found in competitors like the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra. Because of its reliable chip, the 10 Pro 5G handles demanding tasks like gaming easily. There's even a dedicated game mode and excellent thermals, offering a phone that stays cool to the touch even during hours-long gaming sessions.
I tested cloud gaming with Xbox Game Pass, GeForce Now, and Steam Link. Since game streaming isn't as difficult as native Android gaming or emulation, I didn't expect or encounter any issues. I averaged around 50 frames per second (FPS) in Genshin Impact, running at high settings. On an emulator (PPSSPP), the 10 Pro 5G easily handled God of War: Chains of Olympus. Several GameCube and PlayStation 2 titles also run well using Dolphin or AetherSX2 emulators.
What we like: Long battery life
In our testing, the OnePlus 10 Pro 5G's 5,000mAh battery yielded over 12 hours of use with the screen locked at 60 frames per second (FPS), and nearly 12 hours at 120 FPS. I enjoyed an all-day battery that held up to music streaming, gaming, and calling. What's more, you get 65W charging using the bundled power brick and 50W wireless charging, letting you quickly juice up your OnePlus 10 Pro.
What we don't like: Limited software updates
Unfortunately, OnePlus only guarantees three years' worth of software updates. By comparison, Samsung offers four years of Android operating system (OS) updates with five years of security patches. Therefore, OnePlus's three years seem meagre. Nevertheless, many folks trade in devices around the three- or four-year mark, so this isn't a huge issue.
What we don't like: Average telephoto lens
The OnePlus 10 Pro 5G's camera, co-developed with Hasselblad, is among the best flagship shooters. However, its 8MP telephoto lens resolution is lower than expected from a premium handset. While 8MP isn't disappointing, it's nothing to write home about.
OnePlus 10 Pro Features
After looking at what we like and areas for improvement, let's review the OnePlus 10 Pro's top features, from construction to cameras.Great build quality
The OnePlus 10 Pro sports a soft-touch backing that, unlike many glossy phones, isn't a fingerprint magnet. Its camera array takes design notes from Samsung's Galaxy flagships, and the ceramic photography module is stylish yet durable. There's a beefy Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip at its core, which even trounces Samsung's Galaxy S22 Ultra. Both phones share the same chip, but the OnePlus 10 Pro offers better thermals. For instance, while running demanding apps like Fortnite, the 10 Pro remains cool.
Slick OxygenOS 12 Android software
OnePlus consistently delivers stellar software, and its OxygenOS 12 is no exception. We appreciate the snappy experience with cues from Google's Pixel user interface. The OnePlus Shelf is similar to Google Discover, and we appreciated various touches like work and personal modes, which let you rely on technology to maintain a work-life balance. Although the three-year upgrade policy isn't great, OxygenOS 12 is a treat to use.
Top-notch cameras
Outfitted with a camera co-created with Hasselblad, the OnePlus 10 Pro delivers fantastic picture and video quality. We enjoyed its lifelike colours, solid low-light performance, and Master Styles filters. OnePlus Master Styles are comparable to Apple's Photographic Styles, offering colours and filters easily applicable to pictures.
In our experience, the Google Pixel 6 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max often came out on top of the 10 Pro, but ever so slightly. Particularly at its $799 price, the OnePlus 10 Pro gets you one of the best cameras on the market.
OnePlus 10 Pro vs. Competitors
Let's see how the OnePlus stacks up against rivals from Google, Samsung, and Apple.
OnePlus 10 Pro vs. Google Pixel 6 Pro
| OnePlus 10 Pro 5G | Google Pixel 6 Pro | |
|---|---|---|
| Cameras | ||
| Processor | ||
| Display | ||
| RAM and storage | ||
| Software | ||
| Battery life and charging | ||
| Pricing | ||
| View details | View details |
The OnePlus 10 Pro and Google Pixel 6 Pro match up extremely well. Both flagship phones offer incredible value for the money. With the OnePlus, you'll enjoy a better processor, longer battery life, and a gorgeous display. Although the Pixel 6 Pro's Tensor chip lacks the raw horsepower of the 10 Pro's Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, the Pixel provides several quality-of-life artificial intelligence (AI) features that OnePlus doesn’t offer.
Both phones also feature a similar camera performance, but we slightly prefer the Pixel 6 Pro. For instance, the Pixel 6 Pro's Magic Eraser makes it easy to remove unwanted items from the background of your phone. Likewise, its onboard AI processing results in better voice-to-text accuracy and automatic photo enhancements. Ultimately, the OnePlus 10 Pro is a better choice for folks seeking blazing-fast processing power like hardcore mobile gamers, while the Pixel 6 Pro is a good pick for photography fiends.
OnePlus 10 Pro 5G vs. other rivals
The OnePlus 10 Pro features the same Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor as the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra. While both handsets deliver similar performance, the OnePlus 10 Pro edges out the S22 Ultra thanks to its better cooling. We somewhat preferred Samsung's photo quality to the OnePlus, though only slightly. The 10 Pro also boasts a bigger battery and faster charging. On paper, it's pretty much a tie, but the 10 Pro's lower pricing makes it a better value.
If you're willing to switch to iOS, the Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max offers significantly better performance thanks to its A16 Bionic chip. It also includes an improved display and sleek software experience. However, the OnePlus is much cheaper, includes a longer-lasting battery, and nearly matches the 14 Pro Max with camera quality. We recommend the OnePlus 10 Pro for budget-conscious Android buyers and the iPhone 14 Pro Max for Apple fans. If you opt for the OnePlus, you can still FaceTime and run iMessage on Android.
OnePlus 10 Pro vs. more competition
| OnePlus 10 Pro | Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra | Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max | |
|---|---|---|---|
| OS | Android 12 (OxygenOS 12) | Android 12 (One UI 4.1) | iOS 16 |
| Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 | A16 Bionic |
| Storage | Up to 256GB | Up to 1TB | Up to 1TB |
| RAM | Up to 12GB | Up to 12GB | 6GB |
| Cameras | 48MP wide 50MP ultrawide 8MP (f/2.4) 3.3x telephoto; 32MP selfie |
108MP wide 12MP ultrawide 10MP 10x telephoto 10MP 3x telephoto 40MP selfie |
48MP wide 12MP ultrawide 12MP telephoto with 3x optical zoom; |
| View details | View details | View details |
OnePlus 10 Pro vs. OnePlus 10T
The OnePlus 10 Pro and OnePlus 10T are incredibly similar flagship phones. The 10 Pro gets you a higher-quality display, a better camera module, and wireless charging. On the flip side, the 10T steps up to a more powerful processor (the Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1) and improved wired charging speeds, but cuts back on camera quality and nixes wireless charging. The 10T also undercuts the already reasonably priced 10 Pro by about $150. We suggest the OnePlus 10 Pro for budding photographers, while mobile gamers and value-conscious shoppers may want to choose the 10T.
Recap: Is The OnePlus 10 Pro
Right for You?
While OnePlus receives stiff competition from Samsung and Google, the 10 Pro is a flagship phone with a nearly unrivalled price-to-performance ratio. It's a great phone with exceptional performance and a fantastic camera.
Here's what you get from the OnePlus Pro 10:
- Powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor
- Terrific camera system co-created with Hasselblad
- Long battery life plus fast wired and wireless charging
- Snappy software experience
- Good value
Picture quality is occasionally uneven compared with the competition, carrier availability isn't great, and its three years of software upgrades lags behind Android rivals like Google and Samsung. However, you're hard-pressed to find a better value flagship than the OnePlus 10 Pro.
Methodology
Our mobile enthusiasts performed hours of hands-on testing to properly evaluate the OnePlus 10 Pro. Additionally, we leveraged data from proprietary research and user feedback to review the OnePlus 10 Pro's processing power, camera quality, and battery life. We compared the OnePlus 10 Pro not only to the Google Pixel 6 Pro, but to the Samsung S22 Ultra, and OnePlus 10T. Our rigorous benchmarking included photography comparisons with rival devices, gaming performance assessments, and an analysis of everyday use.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the OnePlus 10 Pro good?
Yes, the OnePlus 10 Pro is one of the best flagship Android phones on the market, with its excellent performance, great cameras, and reasonable price tag.
Does the OnePlus 10 Pro overheat?
No, the OnePlus 10 Pro does not overheat, and we even found its thermals to run cooler than the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra despite featuring the same processor.
Is the OnePlus 10 Pro waterproof?
No, the OnePlus 10 Pro is not technically waterproof, although it does include an IP68 water resistance rating for survival in 1.5 meters of water for up to 30 minutes.
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